The Forgotten
by MySilentVoice
Summary: After losing her memories, Mikan is sent to Alice Academy by a strange man named Narumi. There, she meets old friends she doesn't recognize, spirits of the dead whose lives they claim she wrecked, and a lover she has long since forgotten. Will she be able to claim back her old life, or will she be destroyed by it?
1. Chapter 1

**The Forgotten**

**Chapter 1**

_By MySilentVoice_

…

He watches as the girl stumbles, her body trembling from exhaustion. There's fear too. He can see it clearly. It is written all over her face, and her eyes which were once bright with joy are now dark pools of fear and desperation. Such a lonely girl. His heart aches, for he knows that girl, even if she doesn't even know herself. His hands tremble with sadness as a anguished scream tears from her throat, and she flops to the ground. The very image of a person who has given up completely.

The man can't take it any longer. He runs out into the heavy rain, not caring if he gets soaked to the bone. The girl does not respond when he calls out to her. Calls out her name. A name she has long since forgotten. Sweeping his now wet blonde curls from his face, he heaves a sigh and wraps his arms around the girl. She is unconscious. Then, as carefully as one might pick up an injured bird, he lifts her off the ground, and takes just a moment to study her sleeping face. It is definitely her. Even while asleep, tears stream non-stop from her closed eyes and she opens her mouth, just a little, just enough to utter another's name. And when he hears it, his own tears slide down his cheeks. Slowly, he walks back to the house, nearly breaking down when he hears her repeat that name once more.

"Natsume."

…

The girl wakes up almost two days later, in a bed with fluffy pillows. She jumps slightly when she hears the door creak open and in walks a grown man whom she doesn't know. He smiles at her gently, violet eyes twinkling. She trusts this man, for some reason, and smiles back at him. Just a little.

"You're finally awake." He says as he sets down a tray of food on the bedside table. "Are you feeling alright?"

The girl tries to answer him, but instead a horrible croaking sound comes out and she coughs. The man quickly hands her a cup of hot tea and she eagerly accepts it. The hot, sweet liquid flows down her throat and she coughs once more, drinking a little more before bringing the cup to rest in her lap. "Thank you," she says, her voice still a bit raspy. Then man's face lights up and he claps his hands with joy. "I'm so happy, I finally get to hear your voice again!"

The girl tilts her head slightly in confusion. "Again? What do you mean, 'again'?" The man slaps a hand over his mouth and gives an awkward laugh before pouring her more tea. He smiles as she drinks till the cup is empty. Realizing that his tears are threatening to flow, he rises from his chair and twirls a few times, arms raised. He flashes her a wide grin and holds a hand out to her, the other clutched to his chest. "Where are my manners?" He says, shaking his head slightly. "My name is Narumi and I was the one who rescued you from an untimely death."

The girl tries not to laugh looking at his strange pose. She bows her head slightly. "Thank you for saving me, Narumi-san. My name is…My name…Um…"

Narumi shakes his head furiously and grabs her by the shoulders. "No, no, no. Not Narumi-san, it's Narumi-sensei. Sensei!"

"But shouldn't sensei only be used if you're my teacher?"

"Well, then as of now, I'm your teacher! So call me sensei, okay?"

"Oh, alright then…Sensei. But, um…I don't know my name." The girl says, her body suddenly trembling. "I–I don't know who I am, or where I came from, what I'm doing. I awoke underneath a tree two days ago, and I don't have a single memory of what happened."

Narumi slides back into his seat, and he takes the girl's hands in his. "I'm scared." She says, her voice barely over a whisper. "I don't even know who I am." As the tears begin to fall, Narumi wraps the girl in his arms, hugging her tightly as she cries her heart out. "Don't worry. I'm here for you."

Her sobs become louder and she screams into his chest. He runs a hand up and down her back, as several memories flash in his mind. A group of children. A dead man. A crying girl.

"If you have forgotten who you are, then I'll give you a new name." He suddenly says. "You can start again, Mi."

The girl whimpers and the trembling stops. She raises her head, face streaked with tears. "Mi?"

"Yes, Mi. That's your new name. Do you like it?"

The girl nods slowly, and she repeats it over and over. "Mi. Mi. I'm Mi."

"That's right," Narumi whispers. "It's nice to meet you, Mi-chan."

…

"So I just have to ride the taxi to this place?" Mi holds up a small sheet of paper, an address scrawled onto it. Narumi nods, holding out a small backpack. "I've packed some clothes, money and food inside. In case something happens. But if you arrive at the place safely, you won't need it."Mi nods, carefully folding the slip of paper before slipping it into her pocket. Her hand flies to her hair and she frowns. "Sensei, must I really pretend to be a boy when I get there? This wig is really itchy."

Narumi only smiles. "It's for the best. You see, the people there are not very nice to girls, so it would be better if everyone thinks you're a guy!" Mi gulps slightly, a little nervous about wherever Narumi has decided to send her off to. Nevertheless, she slips the backpack over her shoulders and bows low.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me, Narumi-sensei! Narumi shakes his head, pulling the girl into a bone-crushing hug. "Aw, you're such a good girl. But remember to act as boyish as possible while you're there! Oh, I almost forgot!"

Narumi whips out an envelope out of nowhere and hands it to Mi, who looks at it curiously. "It's a letter," he explains. "When you arrive, give this to a girl named Hotaru Imai. She'll help you." Mi's face scrunches up in confusion. "I thought you said they aren't nice to girls. What's a girl doing there?"

"Now that's a great question!" Narumi laughs nervously, racking his brain for ideas. "Well, there are some girls who don't mind staying there so there'll be quite a few…Oh look, a taxi has arrived! Off you go Mi-chan. I'll see you again soon!"

Mi would be lying if she said he didn't practically kick her out of his house. She watches as the front door slams shut and turns to face the street. It's empty. She could almost imagine the tumbleweeds rolling past. She sighs.

It's going to be a long day.

…

Three buses, a couple unhelpful strangers and a kilometer walk later, Mi arrives at her destination. Try as she might, she just couldn't get a cab. She decides not to complain so much though, seeing as she has found the place. However, she's wondering if she's at the right place. Before her stands a tall metal gate and behind it is a few large buildings. The gate sits between two high brick walls, but she can't seem to see the end of either wall. "Just how big is this place?" She mutters to herself.

Mi glances towards the sky, and realizes its getting dark. Deciding that help would not come if she just stood there, she puts her head between the gate bars and shouts as loud as she can. "Hello? Is anybody there?"

Silence. She tries again. "Hello? I'm hungry and tired and I don't know what this place is but I'd really appreciate it if someone would answer me!"

"Hey, hey, look. A noisy kid is barking away at our gate!" Mi turns toward the sound of the voice, all the way up…there. In the sky. Its a floating kid. She nearly faints.

"Whoa, you're right. Hey, you!" Another voice. She tears her eyes away from the flying…human above her head and sees another boy walking towards her on the other side of the gate. He looks completely relaxed, and is smiling even. A rather odd expression for someone trying to chase away a stranger. He stares at her for awhile, and looks around, confused. "Kitsu!" He shouts. "Get your head out of the clouds and come down here!"

The boy she saw floating in the air earlier flies back down, landing beside his friend. Fly boy looks almost the same as smiley boy, except he's not smiling and his eyes are narrow and slanted. Like a fox. They look at her expectantly. Mi quickly bows, remembering to use a lower voice just before she speaks. "Um, my name is Mi. I'm very sorry to be shouting like a lunatic in front of your gate so late in the evening! Um…I'm a boy!"

The two boys stare at her, one still smiling, the other with narrowed eyes. The smiley one is the first to speak. "Of course you're a boy. What, did you think you were a girl?" And they laugh like it's the funniest thing that's ever happened to them. Which it shouldn't be. Fox-eye, her new name for the slanted eyes one stops laughing first. "So Mi, what are you doing here? Trespassers will be prosecuted."

Mi fumbles for the right words. "Well, actually, this guy named Narumi told me to come here and he says that I should meet a girl named Hotaru Imai." She quickly takes out the letter, holding it up for them to see. "He wanted me to give this to her. He said she could help me."

The two boys aren't laughing anymore. Smiley is still smiling however. No surprise there. But their eyes have turned serious. As if on cue, they turn their backs to her and begin a heated discussion in their softest voices. Mi could still pick up a few words though. Something like, 'unbelievable', 'lady boss', 'freak', 'blonde-headed gay', 'missing' and a few, 'what a catastrophe'.

A minute later, they cleared their throats and turned back to face her. "Alright, Mi-kun. You have permission to enter. Open the gates!" Smiley shouted. The gates slowly creaked open, the sunset's rays bouncing off it's shiny surface. It was quite beautiful. That is, till one of the gates fell off. It landed on the ground with a loud 'thunk'. The boys cringed at the sight as Mi gasped in horror. That thing was not at all small. It was easily the size of a tall tree.

Fox-eye moaned. "Not again! They're gonna be so mad if they find out. They'll immediately assume it was our fault!" Smiley pushed Fox-eye towards the nearest building. "Go get Mochu. It's too heavy for us alone to handle. I'll bring Mi-kun to see the lady boss."

"Roger!" Fox-eye gave him a two-finger salute and sprinted down the pathway. Smiley motioned her inside. "Sorry about that. This place is pretty rundown. Things just haven't been the same since the war." Mi gasped. "War?" Smiley immediately clamped a hand over his mouth, shaking his head. "No, never mind what I said. By the way, my name is Koko! It's a pleasure to meet you."

Koko leads her down the way Fox-eye went and into a huge building. He pushes the heavy door open and motions her to follow him inside. The inside of the building is dark and no lights are switched on. Koko grabs her shoulder and slowly ushers her up a staircase and into an elevator. There are no lights in there either. Koko chuckles slightly. "Sorry about the lack of light in here. It's standard procedure. All strangers are to be taken into headquarters but they aren't allowed to see anything but the interrogation room. And thus, we have to escort them up in total darkness."

Mi nods in understanding. "By the way, what is this place anyway?" Koko pushes her out the elevator and down a narrow corridor. Or at least she thinks its a corridor. Koko snorts. "You came here without knowing what this place is? You sure are strange. I'll let Imai handle the details, for now, just concentrate on not tripping over anything."

At the end of the corridor is a door, a small beam of light from lord knows where trained on it. Koko scans his thumb on a scanner beside the door and opens it. Mi follows him into a room, that, is brightly lit, thankfully. He sits her on a chair in the center and gives her a friendly slap on the back. "Try not to get freaked out by the boss's interrogation methods alright?"

Mi laughs nervously. "Is she that scary?" Koko just laughs at her question and leaves the room, but not before giving her a mischievous wink.

...

Mi sat in the chair Koko planted her in for a good three minutes before deciding she was too nervous to sit. She took the letter out from her pocket and stared at it, trying to figure out the best way to explain her story to this Hotaru person. As she paced about the room in circles, the door clicked open and she froze in her steps, head turned towards the door. Two people walked in, a boy and a girl, both looking rather annoyed. The male was scowling as if his life depended on it, while the girl glared at him like he was her mortal enemy. They didn't even bother looking at her.

"What the hell did you drag me here for, Imai?" The male growled, slamming the door shut behind him. The girl looked over him with her frosty gaze and crossed her arms. "You're on guard duty, Hyuuga." She spat his name out as if disgusted. "As the best fighter we have, it is your duty to accompany me when we do interrogations."

"I'm pretty sure you can damn well take care of yourself. What with those creepy inventions and all." The boy leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, mirroring her stance. "Besides, you could just go get yourself killed for all I care."

"I dare you to repeat that."

"Oh, I dare. And I very well dare walk out of this room and leave you alone with the stranger."

Somehow, Mi sensed that it would be a disaster if she let these two fight any further. "Um, excuse me!" The two turned to glare at her and she nearly regretted doing that. She quickly bowed. "Please pardon the intrusion. My name is Mi and I was sent here by a man named Narumi!"

She straightened her back to find that the two were still staring at her, their eyes widened with shock. The girl began to tremble slightly and she cupped her mouth with both hands, a choked sob escaping her lips. "Mikan?" She whispered. The boy behind her was turning pale, and he stepped forward, arms stretched out towards her. Gone was the scowl and angry eyes. He looked so sad, so hurt, Mi almost wanted to give him a comforting hug. Before he could come any nearer however, The girl raised an arm to the side, blocking his path.

"What are you doing?" He snapped. The girl threw a few ninja stars in his direction and he was pinned to the wall in less than a second. He struggled against the bonds, face contorted with fury. "Let me go! Let me go! Can't you see? It's her! It's Mi–"

Baka! The girl had hit him with something and the boy stopped struggling, looking a little dazed. Mi watched as the girl pocketed a small glove in the shape of…a horse-shoe? She leaned close to the boy and whispered into his ear. Mi couldn't hear what she was saying, but whatever it was, it didn't make him very happy. He stopped resisting however, and the girl plucked the ninja stars off the wall, letting the boy slump to the ground. He drew one knee to his chest and rested an arm on it. he was looking at her direction now, but did not meet her eyes.

The other girl had put away the ninja stars and now faced Mi, her face devoid of any emotion. She stretched out her hand in greeting. "My name is Hotaru Imai. It's a pleasure to meet you…Mi."

…

Hope you liked it! It's a bit of a complicated plot I came up with but I hope you enjoyed reading! I'll update as soon as possible, but till then, reviews are welcomed!

Here's a cookie for you if you read this far. Chocolate-chip. Read the next chapter and maybe you'll get a cupcake! :D

~MySilentVoic


	2. Chapter 2

**The Forgotten**

**Chapter 1**

_By MySilentVoice_

…

The clock on the wall showed that an hour had passed and Mi decided that she can't be bothered with keeping still anymore. Slowly, she gets up and stretches, watching Hotaru's reaction carefully.

She doesn't even blink.

She had more or less remained in that state after Mi handed her the note from Narumi. She had passed the letter to the other guy in the corner after she was finished with it, but he hadn't moved either. It was as if the letter had cursed them to stone.

Mi walked over to the wall to inspect a painting out of boredom, then turns back to look at the two. Still stoning. She wondered if she'd have better luck with the boy and moves toward him instead. She crouched in front of him and he jerks back, as if she had just electrified him. He watches her apprehensively, his hand crumpling the letter he holds.

"I'm Mi. It's nice to meet you." Mi extended a hand towards him but he makes no move to shake it. Instead, he massages his temples and runs a hand over his face. In a second, his face is composed and blank, still looking a bit grumpy but Mi somehow guessed that's what he always looks like. "What's your name?" She asks, wondering if the change in expression meant he was warming up to her.

The boy suddenly scowls at her, as if she just whacked him on the head. He says nothing, just looks at her, as if he's waiting, watching, expecting. Finally, he speaks. "I should be the one asking you that." Mi scrunches up her face in confusion. "I just told you, my name is Mi."

He scoffs and looks at her impatiently, as if he's angry with her. "Yeah right. If that's really your name then Imai over there is my number one fan." Suddenly, he leans close to her face, and brings a hand up to cup her cheek. Mi shivers slightly as his hot breath fans over her face, but she does not pull away. Something's telling her not to. He looks her straight in the eye and his voice is much more gentle when he speaks this time. "I asked you, little girl, what is your name?"

Mi gasps and pushes him away, and his back slams into the wall. She grits her teeth. "I am not a girl."

"So you think you're a boy?"

"I don't think, I know I am." Mi inwardly pats herself on the back for being such a good liar. The boy raises and eyebrow and his eyes glint with mischief. Before she even realizes what is going on, he moves and pins her to the floor, one hand on her chest. He looks at her as if studying a blueprint, then squeezes her breast gently. Mi gasps and shudders, raising a hand to slap him. He dodges the blow however, and squeezes one more time before moving away. Mi quickly sits back up, face flushed and heart pounding. The boy only smirks with satisfaction.

"See, you're a girl." His expression softens, and he just looks at her with a mixture of happiness and pain. "Still flat though. If I didn't know better I'd say you're a guy too."

Mi draws back her fist and launches it at his jaw. Miss. His cheek. Miss. Nose. Miss. Aw damn, she thinks. I'll just go for that horrible smirk! Miss.

"I can't believe you, you pervert! What kind of bastard goes around touching girls like that? Huh? I hate you!"

"So you finally admit you're a girl." The boy says, his smug grin growing wider, but in a second, it's gone and his face is serious. "Don't you let me catch you lying to me again." Then he stands and grabs her arm roughly, hoisting her to her feet. He leans in towards her ear and whispers, "Because I know all your secrets. There's nothing you can hide from me." And just like that he's gone, walking towards Hotaru and sitting in the chair across from her. She seems to have snapped out of her daze and they're talking in hushed tones. Mi tries to listen, but one glare from the boy and she cowers in the corner, feeling very pissed about the latest events.

What did he mean by, "I know all your secrets." She herself didn't know them. And how'd he find out she was a girl so fast? Oh yeah, because he violated her. He even called her flat-chested! The nerve of him. She freezes. There was something nagging at her, something he said earlier. Something about her chest…

_"Still flat though."_

What did he mean by, 'still'?

"Mi." She is snapped out of her reverie, and sees Hotaru beckoning for her to join them. She walks over to the table and pulls out another chair. Nobody says anything even after she sits down, so she raises her hand slightly and asks in a small voice, "Aren't you supposed to be interrogating me?"

Hotaru shakes her head, waving the letter in the air. "This note from Narumi explains everything. There probably isn't much you can tell us anyway." She folds the note and stuffs it into her pocket, then laces her fingers together and looks Mi straight in the eye. "So, you have amnesia."

Mi blinks slightly, wondering if that information should be kept to herself. But looking into Hotaru's dark, violet eyes, she can't help but trust her. Just like with Narumi. "Yes," She answers. "I woke up under a tree about three days ago, with no memory of absolutely anything. I can't even remember my own name."

Hotaru only nods slightly. "Okay, I'm not going to beat around the bush. I…know you."

When Mi does not react, she continues. "Now, Mi. I'm going to give you some information. If you feel any pain or remember anything, just tell me." Mi nods slowly, and braces herself for what's to come.

"Mikan Sakura. Age fifteen. Nullification. Alice."

Mi blinks, her brain absorbing the words. There's a small tingling sensation, but then its feels a sense of loss, as if she had something important to say, but then forgot what it was. She frowns. "Just a little tingling." Hotaru studies her long and hard. "Nothing else?"

She shakes her head and Hotaru sighs. "Okay, let's try something else. I'm going to tell you a few names, tell me if you feel anything." She takes a deep breath.

"Yuka Azumi."

Nothing.

"Yukihara Izumi.'

Nada.

"Ruka Nogi."

Nope.

"Ruka-pyon."

"Isn't that the same name?"

"Natsume Hyuuga."

Nothi– Wait. Pain. White-hot Pain. Head really hurts.

Mi blinks back hot tears, clutching her head in agony. "It hurts," She whispers. "Make it stop. Make it stop...Stop!"

Black hair. Red eyes. A face.

"Mikan!" A far away voice calls, and she wonders who they're calling. But it's so reassuring, so comforting, she wishes the voice was calling her.

"Mikan!" It calls again. And a sense of calm washes over her.

Then, nothing.

…

_The boy lies there, not moving and her chest aches with pain. She feels herself running towards him, crouching beside him, calling his name._

_"Natsume! Natsume!"_

_He does not respond and she lowers her head to his chest, listening, listening for something, anything._

_But there's only silence._

…

She wakes up to a room full of strangers, on a bed with white sheets. She doesn't realize that she's sweating till she feels someone dab at her forehead with a towel. Still shaking slightly, she looks up and sees a boy standing beside the bead, blonde hair and blue eyes. The room is quiet and all she can think about is how gentle his eyes look. Such a calming color.

"Who are you?" She asks and the boy gives her a sad smile.

"So you've really lost your memories, huh?" The boy says and he puts away the towel. He turns to the other two people in the room, and speaks to the older one. "Is she alright now? Natsume wants to see her but Imai said she can only allow that after you've confirmed that she's stable."

The man adjusts his glasses and clears his throat and takes the chair beside the bed. Mi squints slightly and reads the name tag pinned to his shirt. 'Imai Subaru. Medical department.'

"Say, are you Hotaru's brother or something? You have the same last name." Mi says as he takes out a plastic folder. Instead of answering her question, he takes out a few papers and shuffles through them, eyes studying whatever information they held. He looks back at the blonde boy.

"The readings show that she's stable, but I suggest she doesn't go near Hyuuga. The memories of him are probably associated with some sort of trauma, thus the pain when she has flashbacks of him. Instead, I think you and my sister should reintroduce some things that have no connection to the war. Just to jog her memory a bit."

The boy nods. "Would it be alright if I let her meet with the others?" Subaru's face hardens. "Actually, I was thinking that maybe they shouldn't even be made aware of her return."

"What?" The boy looks positively stupefied. "But, the memories associated with them should be happy ones. They could tell her about things they've done in the past together and maybe–"

"That's exactly what I want to avoid." Subaru cuts in. "Knowing them, they'd be so excited about her return, they'll try every possible method to make her remember. And with so many of them doing that, this painful flashback episode will repeat itself if it gets too stressful."

"But–"

"No buts, Nogi. My decision is final. The only ones who will know about her return is myself, you, my sister, Hyuuga and Kokoroyomi here."

Mi, who was trying to follow their conversation to no avail, brightens up at the sound of Kokoroyomi's name. Then she gasps, having just realized that he's been standing at the end of the bed the whole time. He meets her eyes with a happy grin. "Nice to see you again, Mi."

Subaru frowns. "Use her real name. It might confuse her subconscious if you mess around with her identities." Koko nods his head vigorously, giving the doctor a mock salute. "Yes sir!"

"From now on, both of you will assist in making sure no one else finds out about her. She can meet the others, but only as a boy and under the name, Mi. Kokoroyomi is to accompany her when she faces the others. His alice will be very useful. The moment you sense that they're getting suspicious, or some unusual thoughts coming from her, take her away at once. Is that clear, Kokoroyomi?"

"Yes, sir!"

"I'd like you two to relay everything I've said to my sister and Hyuuga. And get someone to confine Hyuuga to his dorm. I have no doubt he'll ignore my instructions and try to meet her."

"Um, Imai-san?" Nogi asks. "Should we try to get her to remember us? I mean, those who know about this."

"No. You, Hyuuga and my sister played a big part in the war. I don't want any dangerous memories to be triggered just yet. You may tell her your name, what's your relationship with her, and tell her about how you know her. But don't get her to remember specific events involving yourself. Don't pressure her about what little memories she has, or to remember something. Is that clear?"

"Alright."

"Roger."

Subaru stands and slots the papers back into the folder. He nods at the two boys and moves to the door. "I'll leave the two of you to explain the situation to her. I'll call my sister in to supervise so be careful of what you say until she comes."

The door shuts behind him and the two boys nod at each other, grabbing a chair each and sitting themselves beside Mi's bed. She looks at them, thoroughly confused. "What was that all about?"

Koko clears his throat. "First things first. Introductions. I'm Koko, short for Kokoroyomi. Age fifteen, mind-reading alice."

He gestures to Nogi. "This is Ruka Nogi. Also known as Ruka-pyon. Same age, alice of animal pheromones."

Ruka blushes a bit and they both look at her expectantly. Mi nods slowly. "I already know you, Koko." She says to him. "I don't know a Ruka, but it's nice to meet you!"

"Alright, no flashbacks whatsoever. She doesn't know you at all!" Koko says, a bit too cheerfully. "Her mind was totally blank when I introduced you."

"Shut up, Koko. And there's no need to read her mind." Ruka says, a bit unhappily. Koko grins. "Oh there is a need! Imai-san said it himself. I am to read her mind for any strange brain activity when meeting with others. And I'm doing a mighty fine job at that!"

"What? You can read minds?" Mi asks, looking at Koko with awe. He puffs out his chest proudly. "Yep! That's my alice alright!" Mikan cocks her head to one side. "Alice? What's that? The guy from earlier mentioned something about it too…"

Koko blinked rapidly, throwing Ruka a nervous look. "Alice? Um, alices…they're…um–Ruka can explain it!" Ruka frowned and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He cleared his throat. "Well, an alice is like a power certain people are born with. Like Koko and his mind-reading ability. Everyone in Alice academy has one."

"Alice academy?"

Koko chuckles nervously and whippers into Ruka's ear. "I'm not sure if we should be telling her all this." Ruka shrugged. "Can't turn back now."

"Alice academy is where you are now…Sakura-san. It's a school for all children with alices, like you and me."

Mi scratches her head. "Sakura?" Ruka nods warily. "That's your last name. Sakura. You may not remember, but me and Koko are your friends. We know you."

Mi looks at the two boys before her, a little overwhelmed at this latest piece of information. A sudden thought struck her. "That Hotaru girl said she knew me too. Is that true?" Koko nods eagerly. "Yeah, she's your best friend in fact." Her jaw dropped. "My…best friend?" The word seemed so foreign to her. She couldn't recall knowing anybody…though she did have amnesia. The thought of having a best friend yet forgetting that she had one was just so…

"So are you my friends too?" She asked a little shyly. Koko grinned. "Yep! We were classmates and buddies, Mikan! Though Ruka-pyon here was a little more than–" _Smack. _Ruka knocked Koko off the chair and blushed angrily. "Don't listen to him. But he's right. We were all friends. Me, Imai, Koko, Natsume and lots of other people." Something twitched at the back of her mind but she waved it away. "Who's Natsume?"

Ruka gave her a pained smile. "He's my best friend. And a very special person. To you that is." Koko hoisted himself back up onto his feet with a smile. "Natsume's the guy in the interrogation room with Imai. You should have seen him, red eyes, black hair, scowl that looks like it's been there for a hundred years–"

Koko's face kissed the floor once more, courtesy of Ruka's fist. "Don't talk about Natsume like that," he scolded. "He wasn't in a very good mood today, that's all." He gave Mikan a sheepish smile. "Sorry about that." But Mi wasn't listening, her jaw had dropped to the floor and her eyes were wide with shock. "Did he say that this Natsume person has red eyes and black hair and a hundred-year old scowl?"

"Well, not exactly a hundred-year old scowl, he's–"

"The one in the interrogation room with my supposed best friend Hotaru?"

"Well, yes, but–"

"That pervert is my friend?" She screamed. "He freakin' raped me! I don't even know him! And you said that he was special to me?"

"Yes, well, that's true–"

_Baka! _

Mikan was thrown back into the bed by some invisible force, the wind knocked out of her lungs. "What was–"

"If you start screaming again I'll hit you extra hard." Mi immediately shut her mouth, eyes bulging out from her sockets. "It's my supposed best friend!"

Hotaru's eye twitched and she grabbed Ruka by the ear. "What did you tell her?" Ruka winced and spluttered. "Just…some stuff. N–nothing that will harm her, I assure you. I followed your brother's instructions! Ow!" Hotaru tightened her hold on the boy's ear and Mi could only watch on with pity. "He didn't tell me anything bad, Hotaru. I'm fine, no flashbacks whatsoever."

"Imai!" Ruka shouted. "Please let go!"

And she did. But not before squeezing it extra hard. She raised an eyebrow at him and he quickly stood up, offering his seat to her. "I met my brother on the way here. He explained the situation to me."

"T–that's great." Ruka said, wringing his hands nervously. Hotaru ignored him, and proceeded to study Mi. "Are you feeing better?"

Mi offered her a smile. "Much. I'm a little confused though. No, scratch that. I'm totally don't understand what's going on." She laughed softly. "It's like I'm trapped in some sort of dream."

Hotaru stayed silent. She nodded to the door and cleared her throat. "Nogi, Koko, out." The boys wasted no time in complying with her demand. As soon as the door was shut, Hotaru folded her arms across her chest and looked Mi in the eye. "First off, your name is not Mi, it's Mikan Sakura." Mi opened her mouth to speak but Hotaru cut her off. "Just listen. A year ago, a war broke out within this academy. A war with us against the elementary school principal."

Hotaru watched her carefully for any reaction before continuing. "He's dead now, though. We defeated him. But just after the blow that finished him off was released…you disappeared. That was a year ago, yet you claim to have only woken up four days ago, with no memory of what happened to you."

Mi nodded, too shocked to speak. "You played a very important part in the war, but I won't go into details now, for your own sake. Anyway, you have somehow returned to us, yet you can't remember a thing. Our first objective will be to get your memories back."

"What memories?" Mi asked, her voice just below a whisper. Hotaru shifted her gaze to the window, gazing out at the sakura tree outside it. "Let's go for a walk, shall we?" She stood, smoothing out the creases of her skirt. "It would be easier to explain if I show you something."

…

"This wig is itchy."

Hotaru scowled and smacked Mikan on the head. "It's so no one will recognize you, idiot." Mikan pouted slightly, adjusting the short black wig on her head. "You'll use the name Mi when speaking to strangers. But remember that your name is Mikan. Mikan the idiot."

I was Mikan's turn to scowl. "Are you sure we're best friends?" Hotaru snorted. "I never thought I'd ever hear that question coming from you."

The two girls were approaching a deserted building Hotaru had introduced as the high school division. It had a big gaping hole in the side and several shattered windows. Bright yellow tape surrounded the area so it looked like a construction zone. "This is where the final battle against the ESP took place. It's till under investigation."

"What for? If he's dead, what's left to investigate?" Mikan asked.

Hotaru looked at her as if she was an idiot. "You. They're investigating your disappearance." Mikan first thought she was joking but after a closer look into the girl's eyes, she realized it was far from a joke. She gazed out into the cordoned off zone, only now noticing several people wandering about it. All these people…they were looking for her?

"Of course, you're not the only reason for the investigation. Several people died here during the war and we are trying to get rid of them. Their spirits still haunt the high school division."

Mikan shivered at this bit of information. She never did like ghosts, they scared the hell outta her. She frowned. Exactly when had she seen a ghost? How could she know she was afraid of one if she didn't remember why? She felt Hotaru jab her arm. Mikan looked up to see a girl slightly older than them approaching them. "Just play along and don't mess things up." She heard her whisper as she grabbed her roughly by the elbow and began dragging her to meet the girl.

"Ah, Hotaru," the girl greeted, giving her a small grin. "What are you doing here? And who's that?"

"This is my cousin, Mi. We just discovered his alice and I invited him to come to the academy." Hotaru lied, as fluently as the queen of lies. She shuddered slightly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Mi."

The girl nodded, sticking out a hand for her to shake. "I'm Misaki. Misaki Harada. Oh, you're so adorable!" Misaki pinched her cheeks and she tried not to wince. "Welcome to alice academy, squirt! Please excuse the mess around here." She gestured to the building behind her.

"We'll be going now, senpai." Hotaru said, already pushing Mikan forward. "I'd like to show Mi around before dinner." Misaki nodded, glancing back at the high school division. She bent her head slightly and lowered her voice. "If you see Tsubasa, tell him to finish up already. He's up there with Youichi trying to find her. He just doesn't give up."

Hotaru shuffled Mikan forward some more. "None of us have given up, senpai. Not ever." Misaki gave her a broad smile. "I know. And neither will I. I'll see you guys later. And tell Tsubasa to call it a day already. Poor Youichi must be exhausted!"

As the girls hurried along, Mikan whispered, "Just now, that person she said this Tsubasa was finding…is it me?"

Hotaru didn't even blink. "What do you think?"

She ushered Mikan into the building and up a flight of stairs. She led her down a dark corridor where she suddenly stopped, causing Mikan to bump into her. In front of them, a small beam of light could be seen. It moved from side to side, occasionally blinding them. Hotaru growled with annoyance. "Get the flashlight out of my face, Andou."

The light floated to the ground and the sound of footsteps gradually came louder. The beam of light shifted again, this time lighting up the face of a teenage boy. His face was tired and smudged with dirt, but he still flashed them a happy grin. "Well what a surprise! If it isn't Hotaru Imai." He shone the flashlight onto Mikan's face. "Now who do we have here?"

Hotaru smacked the arm that held the flashlight. "Are you trying to blind us? Moron. Where's Youichi?" The boy groaned and angled the flashlight to the side, revealing a little boy no older than five. He didn't even blink at the light shining right in his eyes. "Who's that?" He asked in a quiet voice.

"This is Mi. My cousin." Hotaru answered. She gestured to the two boys. "The idiot with the flashlight is Tsubasa Andou, our senior. The kid is Youichi Hijiri."

"Nice to meet you, Yo-chan, Tsubasa-senpai." Mikan said, though she couldn't see the two. There was silence right after she said that. She was about to ask if something was wrong when Tsubasa spoke. "That voice sounds familiar." Mikan felt something tug at the edge of her pants. She looked down and in the dim lighting, she could just make out the boy Youichi, pulling on her put leg. "Did you call me…Yo-chan? He asked, eyes wide and hopeful. She felt Hotaru stiffen beside her. "I did," Mikan replied haltingly. "Why?"

"It's kinda weird that a complete stranger would call him that. And wasn't the one to first call him that Mi–" Tsubasa was abruptly cut off by Hotaru. "It's not a mistake," she said. "I was telling Mi about Yo-chan on the way here. I referred to him as Yo-chan, that's probably why Mi called him that."

There was a slight pause. "Oh." Was all Tsuabasa said. The tugging sensation disappeared and Mikan watched as the small boy tottered off to stand beside Hotaru, reaching up to grasp her hand. Hotaru lifted the boy into her arms. "Misaki-senpai is waiting for you," she said to Tsubasa. "I need to borrow Yo-chan for a bit, so go ahead first." Tsubasa began to protest but Hotaru silenced him with a glare he could somehow make out through all the darkness. "Go before I do something that'll make you regret ever going against me."

The poor guy scampered off immediately, muttering something about scary kids. Mikan frowned. "You didn't have to go that far." Hotaru bent down to pick up the flashlight Tsubasa had carelessly tossed to the ground. "Let's go."

"Go where?"

"To meet him."

"Who's him?" Mikan watched as Hotaru carried Youichi down the hall without another word. She heaved a great sigh and ran after them.

…

After a great number of twists and turns, Hotaru held out an arm to signal her to stop. Mikan gratefully obeyed and sank to her haunches, tired out from the walk. Hotaru set Youichi on the ground and flashed the flashlight onto the floor in front of them. Mikan could just make out the dark figures of what looked like rubble. The floor, she realized with a gasp, was covered with scorch marks where the flashlight's beam fell.

"Yo-chan, could you call him out?" Hotaru asked, kneeling so that she was level with his face. Youichi furrowed his eyebrows. "Why?"

"I need to show Mi something."

"No." Hotaru clenched her jaw. She put a hand on his shoulder and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. Mikan watched as the boy's eyes widened and he quickly nodded. Hotaru gave him a small smile and stood up straight. Youichi faced the rubble before them and looked back.

"Are you sure?" He asked softly, his voice still child-like yet mature in tone. It sounded so wrong to Mikan. Hotaru nodded. "I am."

Youichi inhaled deeply and raised his hands. They began to glow and Mikan could feel strong waves of energy radiating from him. She took a step back and whispered to Hotaru, "What is he doing?" Hotaru continued staring ahead, watching the small boy. "He's using his alice."

Mikan watched as the energy wrapped around him and dispersed, only to be replaced. The air rushed towards them, making Mikan shiver and she realized with horror how dark the energy felt. She glanced back at Hotaru, only to find that she was completely unaffected. This boy…what was he doing?

"Hotaru…what is his alice?" She asked, her voice low, afraid that something might happen if she spoke too loud.

The space before Youichi began to glow, energy sparked off the child's body and pulsed around the glowing form. It began to take shape, and Mikan could faintly see the outline of a man.

"His alice…" Hotaru said, not taking her eyes off Youichi, "Is the ability to manipulate spirits and ghosts."

"He can do that?" Mikan could hardly believe it, that such a small kid could have such power…And a rather morbid one too. But there it was, the glowing figure becoming clearer by the second, features slowly appearing, revealing a…child?

Youichi staggered and collapsed to the ground, panting. Mikan rushed forward, calling out to Hotaru. "Hotaru, what's wrong with Yo-chan? Hotaru?"

Hotaru came up beside her and cradled the boy in her arms. "He's just tired from using his alice. Summoning him is no easy task. Yo-chan's truly powerful for his age."

Mikan could hardly care less about his capabilities at the moment. "Are you sure he's alright?" Hotaru nodded but she wasn't looking at her. Mikan followed her gaze to see that she was staring at the…child behind her. Though he was small and him like a child, his face showed such menace and maturity for someone who appeared young. His eyes weren't even open yet. Somehow, Mikan felt a surge of immediate hatred for the man and she unconsciously growled at him. His body was still glowing, and he didn't look at all solid or human, but Mikan could feel the fear rise up in her chest. She knew this man. But who was he? This man…

"That," Hotaru whispered. "Is the ghost of the late elementary school principal, Kounji."

The elementary school principal opens his eyes and with a voice filled with so much hate and disgust, spits out her name.

"So we meet again, Mikan Sakura."

…

Hoped you enjoyed it! And I hope it makes sense too, I kinda wasn't paying attention to what I was writing. Hehe.

MySilentVoice~


	3. Chapter 3

**The Forgotten**

Chapter 1

By MySilentVoice

...

The knock rang loud and clear through the door but Natsume couldn't be bothered to answer it. He resumed his reading, desperately trying to distract himself. The words danced and blurred before his eyes however, and his mind just kept going: Mikan, Mikan, Mikan...

Whoever was at his door resorted to pounding it hard but all it did was to annoy him some more and he threw the book across the room.

It hit the door hard and the banging stopped, much to his relief.

"Natsume?" His ears perked up. Wasn't that...

"Its Ruka. Open the door, Natsume." Feeling obliged to entertain his best friend's request, he dragged himself to the door, yanking it open.

That is to say, he was a little more than irritated at his supposed best friend. "What is it, Ruka?"

In turn, Ruka gave him a cheerful smile and nudged his way past him. "I brought you your dinner. Imai said that she blackmailed you into staying in your room, so I thought I'd bring you some food and company."

Natsume scoffed and shut the door. "I'd rather you get me out of here instead." Ruka laughed. "Be thankful I even bothered coming. I'm still a little spaced out from Sakura's arrival."

In a flash he was seated at the small dining table. Ruka himself was only just pulling out a chair. "How is she?"

Ruka laughed again, albeit a little sadly. "She's fine and well. She was even joking around and smiling." Natsume was not convinced. "But?"

"But she's well and truly lost her memory. We had Koko read her mind. It was as blank as a sheet of paper."

"That was to be expected. But what I want to know is what they're going to do about it." Natsume said, tapping the tabletop with his fingers impatiently.

"Well, Hotaru's brother said that she's not allowed to interact with the others. The only people who know about her return are you, me, Imai, her brother, and Koko."

He leaned forward in his chair. "Why Koko?"

"Well, we weren't planning to tell him originally, but when he turned up at the hospital looking for me, he said he could read her mind." Ruka furrowed his eyebrows. "The weird thing is that Sakura's Alice wasn't in effect. Even if she has forgotten about it, her body should still remember and keep it activated. So we told him the whole story and decided it would be good for a mind reader to stick with her and moniter her thoughts."

Natsume's frown deepened. "Stick with her?" Ruka only sighed. "Out of all the information I gave you, the only one that stands out is the fact that Koko has to stick with her?"

"Shut up." He muttered, looking away.

Ruka began unpacking the food he brought. "She's probably fine now, I saw Imai accompany her out of the hospital."

"Where were they headed?" Ruka shrugged, biting into a carrot stick. "I'm not really sure, but it looked like they were headed for the high school division building."

"Are you sure?" Natsume asked, eyes widening in alarm. Ruka shrugged again. "Dammit," Natsume stood up quickly, grabbing his jacket. "Cover for me while I'm gone."

"What?" Ruka stumbled out of his chair and followed Natsume to the door. "Where are you going? And how am I supposed to cover you?"

"Thanks, Ruka." He opened the door, not really listening to his friend.

"Natsume!" Ruka called, but the door merely slammed shut in his face.

Poor Ruka was left to munch on the rest of his carrot sticks alone.

...

"What-who are you exactly?" Mikan took another step back, not once taking her eyes off him."

The man raised his eyebrows. "Didn't your friend over there already explain it to you?" He approached her slowly, a sickening smile spreading across his face. "Ah, so you've lost your memories, isn't that right?"

"Get back! Don't come any closer."

He shook his head, clucking slightly. "Poor, poor Mikan Sakura. After all you've been through, all the sacrifices you made, after all you did to kill me," he gazed at her with such intensity and maliciousness that she nearly cried out. "After seeing your poor mother die, your beloved Natsume on the brink of death, all your precious friends scarred and injured...you forgot everything?"

Mikan clenched her fists tightly, her head buzzing with confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, you know what I'm talking about, Mikan Sakura." The ghost snaps and he grits his teeth, snarling. "You should be dead. Miserable and dead! It would have been fine if you lived, knowing about the tragedy of your past, living in misery. But you have the nerve to forget everything and live!" He moves faster towards her, eyes raging and livid with anger.

"You killed me, killed everything I worked for, everything I stood for, you and your disgusting mother...!" Mikan leapt out of the way as he lunged at her. She was so scared, so scared of this man but something made her stay. She had to listen.

"I hate you! I hate you! You, you-" He swiped at her throat, and this time she didn't dodge in time. But his hand merely passed through her as if it was nothing but air.

He stared at that hand for a long time, as if unable to believe that it was there. As he looked up, and into her eyes, a crazed grin formed on his lips.

"See what you did, Mikan Sakura?" He held the hand out towards her, as if trying to show it to her. "I'm dead. Dead. Yet because of you, I can't even leave this place. This place that I've grown to hate as much as you...I can never leave it."

His hand dropped to his side and he sighed, somehow making it seem sad and mocking. "But it doesn't matter now does it? I'm dead, and I can no longer really hurt you, but," he smiled so brightly, it nearly made Mikan gag in disgust. "But perhaps I can still ruin your soul, ruin your mind till you are driven made with guilt and agony."

Something clicked in the back of her mind, and her head seemed to sting, burn and ache all at once, it was all she could do not to cry out.

The ghost of the late elementary school principal began to fade but it seemed like he had one last thing to say. "Your memories aren't anything to smile about. But I'd be willing to tell you your tale." A cruel smirk graced his lips. "That is, if you'd exchange it with your sanity."

...

"Mikan! Mikan, snap out of it!" The pain in her head began to recede and she forced her eyes to focus. The blurry darkness slowly morphed into the face of Hotaru.

"Mikan, are you alright?" Hotaru was shaking her shoulders, and out of the corner of her eye she could see Youichi, sprawled on the ground. She began inching towards him. "You-chan..."

"He's alright, Mikan." Hotaru said, concern written all over her face. "He just passed out. Mikan, what happened?"

Mikan's brain was having a hard time comprehending Hotaru's words, and all she could say in response was, "What?"

"Just now, after Youichi summoned him. I could see him but I couldn't hear a word either one of you were saying. I couldn't approach you either." Her head cleared up some and suddenly she was more alert. Everything came rushing back to her now.

"It was as if there was a glass wall between us and- Mikan? Are you okay?" Hotaru grasped her shoulders and forced her to look into her eyes. Her eyes were tearing and wide and so, so, so scared. She immediately regretted bringing Mikan here, but she had to try. She had to. Anything to bring back the old Mikan.

"I'm sorry." She said, wrapping her arms around the girl. "I'm so sorry."

A loud sob escaped Mikan's lips and she cried even harder. "Hotaru, what was all that? That man, he, he-" She coughed and hacked and Hotaru could do nothing but rub her back and listen. "Why did he say those things? What did he mean? I, I don't get it!"

Hotaru watched in horror as her best friend screamed. A scream so full of pain and hurt. She began to cry too. "Mikan..."

"It hurts!" Mikan cried, clawing at her face. "I don't get anything, what's going on? Why, why...!"

She was shaking so badly now, it was all Hotaru could do to hold onto her. She was scared too, scared for her friend, scared for her heart, but most of all, she was scared that she'd lose her again. She squeezed her tight, so, so tight. Praying with all her heart for Mikan to come back. Come back...

But her screams only became louder and louder, each one killing Hotaru inside, bit by bit.

There was nothing she could do for her. Her friend was falling apart and she could do nothing but watch. Nothing.

But there was someone who could do something. Yes, there was. And it was all Hotaru could do to call for him.

"Hyuuga!"

...

His name echoed through the darkness and it only made his heart pound with worry. That wasn't Mikan's voice though...wasn't that...?

"Hyuuga!"

Hotaru Imai. Of all the people who would call for him like that, she was certainly not on the list. Nevertheless, the tone of her voice worried him and he sped off in that direction.

He had been wandering around aimlessly in the high school division till he heard his name. But now he was rushing up the stairs, his heart clenching hard at the sound of his name being called like that.

As he reached the third level, a scream echoed down the corridor and he froze, his mind racing.

That scream...

He made a sharp turn to the left and tore down the hallway, not thinking anymore. It was Mikan. Screaming.

No, no, no. What was happening? Her screams were getting louder and his blood was rushing so fast he couldn't hear anything anymore, yet her screams were echoing loud and clear.

He would give anything to never hear it again.

"Mikan!" He shouted, eyes darting to and fro. His eyes hadn't yet adjusted to the dim lighting and he crashed into a wall. He barely felt it however and picked himself up, ignoring the stinging pain in his ankle.

"Hyuuga! Over here!" It was Imai again, her voice sharp with worry and fear. Fear? How unlike her. The thought only made him panic some more and he rushed towards the voice, not caring about anything anymore.

There was only one thing that mattered now.

He skidded into the east wing of the building and nearly tripped over the pair huddled in the centre. He could just make out Hotaru's face, desperate and confused.

"Help her." Was all she said before she dropped her shaking arms, revealing Mikan, curled up into a fetal position, eyes as wide as saucers.

Instinctively he gathered the girl in his arms as she thrashed about, screaming all the while. His heart ached at the sight of her like this and he pressed her face close to his chest, burying his own in her hair.

"I'm here, Mikan. I'm here." He whispered softly into her ear, stroking her back soothingly. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

Mikan stopped struggling and coughed into his shoulder, choking from the effort of screaming so much. He could barely make out what she said, but just enough for a tear to slide down his cheek.

"Who are you?"

But he only smiled and nuzzled her neck gently, watching the little drop slide onto her shoulder. "Nobody important," he said. "Just someone who loves you very much."

And she was calm again, a serene smile spreading on her lips as he rocked her slowly, the movement making her sleepy.

"Really." Was all she said before she drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

...

"She'll be alright now. She's just tired from all that's happened."

Hotaru nodded mutely at her brother and pulled out a chair, dragging it across the room so she could sit beside Mikan's bed. Subaru shook his head. While he understood his sister's feelings, he could not help but feel a little mad at what she did.

"That was very foolish and selfish of you." He said quietly, not meeting her eyes. "Don't let this happen again." With that, he strode towards the door and left them. One sleeping girl, another in despair.

Hotaru watched her sleeping face, taking Mikan's hand in hers. Right now, there was nothing she wished for more than to see her smiling face again. Seeing her losing her mind from confusion and fear...she just couldn't bear it.

"Is he gone?"

Her eyes widened only slightly as Mikan's cracked open one eye, examining the room. When she saw that they were the only ones in the room she sat up, grinning sheepishly at her.

"I know he's nice but he kinda scares me. He's your brother isn't he? He looks exactly like you!" Hotaru smiled at her words and gently bumped her fist against Mikan's head. "I am not happy to hear that."

She pouted in turn and rubbed her head before pulling out the pillow from behind her. She wrapped her arms around it and and sighed, deep in thought. "I had a really weird dream."

Hotaru leaned back into her chair and pulled out a device shaped like a cylinder and a small cloth. "Oh? What was it about?" She began polishing the black object in an attempt to cover up her nervousness. Mikan eyed the object warily, somehow feeling that it was dangerous to be around it. Nevertheless, she said nothing about it and continued.

"Well, I was-"

The door was flung open and a boy stepped inside, quickly shutting it behind him. He muttered something like "Stupid fangirls." and ran a hand through his hair as though thoroughly disturbed. It was only when he felt the two girls staring at him that he turned around.

Hotaru's eyes sparkled slightly and she aimed the object at him. "So you've finally come, I was wondering when you'd show up."

Natsume barely acknowledged her as he strode to the side of the bed not occupied by Hotaru. "Shut up." He sat on a stool and studied Mikan, raising a hand to brush back her bangs. "You okay?"

Mikan blushed at his touch and nodded, inching away from him slightly. Natsume noticed this and retracted his hand, scowling a bit. Hotaru made a show of stifling a laugh, glaring back at the boy as he gazed at her with murderous intent. Desperate to ease the tension, she waved her arms about as if trying to dispel the gloomy atmosphere.

"Now, now. Let's not get mad over nothing. Um, your name is Natsume, right?" Natsume broke away from the staring contest and nodded while Hotaru commented on how he looked like a puppy waiting to be fed. This resulted in another staring contest, with intense glares and silent threats.

"Um, I was supposed to tell you about my dream, right Hotaru?" She said quickly, immediately regretting it. She had a very good reason for not wanting to talk about her dream while Natsume was in the same room.

Hotaru immediately refocused her attention. "Yes, do continue. We were so rudely interrupted the last time I completely forgot." She shot another glare at Natsume who merely ignored her. "What dream?" He asked, hating to be left out of the loop.

"Well..." She glanced uneasily at him, twiddling her thumbs. Hotaru jabbed a thumb at the door. "She doesn't seem to like your presence, Hyuuga. Out."

Mikan shook her head furiously, pulling on Hotaru's arm. "It's fine, he can stay. He might know something about my dream anyway." Her eyes flickered towards him and she blushed. "He was in the dream, you see."

...

It's over! I've been kinda lazy so it took me awhile to finish it but those reviews that kept pouring in really helped.

Thanks a bunch for reading this far :)

~MySilentVoic


	4. Chapter 4

**The Forgotten**

****Chapter 1

By MySilentVoice

Silence enveloped the room like a thick blanket no one dared to remove. It was late in the evening and the last rays of the day filtered through the open window, bathing the room in golden glow.

The three of them sat there, not making a sound, just waiting. Waiting for someone to speak. It was Hotaru Imai who decided she had enough.

"Mikan," she tried to get the girl's attention. "Your dream?"

Mikan laughed nervously. "Oh, right. Just...collecting my thoughts."

They waited another two minutes

"You finished collecting your thoughts?" Hotaru asked, a bit more then irritated. Mikan sneaked a glance at Natsume and gasped slightly when their eyes met. Her eyes fell to her lap. She held up one finger: Wait.

And so they waited, till Hotaru decided she was getting too hungry and wanted the whole thing to be over with already. "If you don't hurry up and tell me, I'm gonna get Koko in here to read your mind."

Mikan's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No, no. I can tell you. Just...hang on a sec."

Natsume glared at Hotaru from across the bed and took Mikan's hand in his. She tried her hardest not to cringe. "Could you be a little patient? She's tired." He snapped, gripping her fingers tightly. He reached out his free hand to stroke her cheek. "You're gonna scare her.

Hotaru scoffed. "Says you. She hardly recognizes you and here you are getting all intimate with her. She might as well be holding hands with a complete stranger." Natsume frowned slightly and leaned closer to Mikan, smiling a bit as she shivered. "Are you scared of me?" He whispered into her ear softly. He brought a hand up to cup her cheek, forcing her to look at him. "Are you uncomfortable around me? Mikan?"

Mikan felt her cheeks warm and she prayed right there and then that he wouldn't notice the blush spreading across her cheeks. As embarrassed as she was, she couldn't help but trust the boy. His hands were so warm and that voice...so gentle and familiar...

"Can you say my name again?" She asked, her voice barely over a whisper. Natsume looked into her eyes, and she felt as if she was naked. His eyes were searching and he seemed to be looking right into her soul. He tilted his head slightly so his lips just touched her earlobe and sighed into her ear, smirking as she shuddered.

"Mikan." He said, in a tone filled with affection and tenderness. "Mikan." Hotaru gagged a little at the sight and excused herself from the room. They hardly noticed her leaving.

Mikan raised a hand to touch his hair, gasping in delight at the softness. She touched his face, fingers dancing over his eyelids, tracing patterns on his cheeks, feeling his lips. It was as if she was trying to memorize every tiny detail about him, or rather, remember.

"I like it," she said, her eyes closed. "The sound of your voice. It makes me feel...safe." With her eyes still closed, she trailed her fingers over his lips, surprised at how soft they were. "Its such a familiar sound."

She opened her eyes and smiled at him, reaching out to wrap her arms around his neck. "I understand now," she mumbled into his neck. "I know you."

She pulled away just a bit, just enough to look into his eyes. Pleading with all her heart.

"Help me remember."

And he did. He kissed her softly, pouring all his feelings into that one action. His heart and soul was screaming for her and his chest felt like it could explode from the contact.

She was hesitant at first, but flashes of her dream echoed within her mind and she had no more reservations. Mikan felt her lips tug into a smile, and tears slide down her cheeks. It was such a sad yet wonderful feeling. The feeling of knowing yet not knowing this boy.

It was almost unbearable.

Mikan was the first to pull away, her face streaked with tears. He kissed those away as well, and she felt so safe, so loved.

So happy.

"I was in a dark room," she began softly. "It looked like someone's bedroom, I think it was night time." Realizing that she was talking about her dream, Natsume leaned back at listened attentively.

"For some reason, I was crying. Though I had no idea why. I was crying and I felt so sad and guilty and the feelings of missing someone piled up in me. But I didn't know who I was missing. I didn't know who I was crying for." Mikan sighed and looked at her right hand, which Natsume was rubbing gently, his fingers moving in a soothing circular motion.

"Were we always like this?" She blurted out before even realizing it. "Did we have this sort of...relationship?"

Natsume continued striking her hand, not saying a word. "Not really," he finally said. "Its kind of complicated. Can we go back to your dream?"

"Alright. So I was crying all alone without knowing why, but then...you appeared. You climbed in through the window of the room, and you looked kind of beaten up." She paused. "Does that ring any bells?"

"Carry on." Was all he said.

"Well, I think I went over to you and helped you in, and I could sense that we were talking, but I couldn't here anything we said. And then, you hugged me. And I felt so safe and I started crying again and you just hugged me tighter. The dream ended with you jumping out the window." Mikan looked at him expectantly, waiting for an explanation.

Natsume wasn't sure what to make of her dream. He remembered the incident clearly, but there was something he wanted to make sure of first.

"Can you walk?"

Mikan was a bit stunned by his question. "I think so, why?"

"There's a place I want to show you."

Mikan frowned and glanced at the window. It was almost completely dark outside. "The last time Hotaru told me that, I ended up meeting a ghost and going crazy afterwards."

Natsume only held her hand tighter. "Nothing will hurt you, I promise. I just...want to confirm something."

She looked at him for a long time afterwards, trying to read him. Finally, she gave in. "Okay. I trust you."

...

The two of them walked down the corridor, no longer holding hands. Of course, it'd be weird to see Natsume holding hands with a boy.

"Where are we?" Mikan asked as she struggled with her itchy wig. She still couldn't get used to it.

"In the dorms. It's where the students stay."

"Oh." The made a turn and climbed a flight of stairs. "Natsume, why are we in the dorms?"

"I want to show you something."

"Oh."

It then that Mikan realized...Natsume was not one to elaborate. Even if he was talking to a person with amnesia and had no idea what was going on. The unthoughtful jerk.

As she turned this fact over and over in her head, they stopped in front of a door. Natsume rapped his knuckles against her skull and brought her attention to the door.

"Read that." He pointed to a brass plate attached to the door.

"Mikan Sakura..." She murmured softly. Not quite understanding. There was a single star carved into the metal below the name. Her name.

"That's my name. Why...?"

"Because this is your room." Natsume said carefully, watching her face for any signs of reaction. She looked utterly confused. Normal enough, he thought as he turned the knob.

He pushed the door open and the two of them were welcomed by...a slumber party.

At least six...no, seven or eight people were stretched out on sleeping bags in the room, playing a game of cards. Natsume nearly screamed with frustration. Of all nights, why did they have to choose this one?

"Yo, Natsume." Koko waved his cards in the air. "Care to join us? It's kinda cramped but we've squeezed more than half the class in here before. No problem, right guys?" A few nodded in agreement. The boy beside him only frowned.

"I'm never doing that again. My head was practically shoved under her bed and someone had his foot on my stomach." Koko only laughed. "Kitsu, Kitsu, where's the fun in having a measly party of two or three people?"

"You can only say that because you were lucky enough to get the corner. The rest of us were practically bent into pretzels sleeping here!"

"Oh, quit complaining."

"Um, guys?" A nervous boy with glasses interrupted. "Natsume-kun looks kind of angry with us." Koko and Kitsu squeaked and looked towards the door, where Natsume was emitting a very intimidating sort of aura. They nearly shrank back in fear and peed

in their pants but the sparkly aura from behind him had them confused.

Mikan popped her head out from behind Natsume and looked around, astonished. She inched closer to Natsume and pulled on his sleeve. "What are they doing?" She whispered. "Who are they?"

Natsume brushed her aside and stepped into the room. "Get out."

He was met with groans and complains, but a harsh glare from him shut them up. Still grumbling a bit, they shuffled out one by one, boys and girls alike. They threw Mikan curious glances as they passed her, but said nothing.

Koko was the last to leave and it was with a happy wink at her that he pranced out.

Natsume shut the door behind them and locked it as she looked at him, bewildered. "Who were they?"

He gave her a funny look. "Your friends."

Leaving her to mull over the fact that she had friends, though she knew none, he kicked a few sleeping bags aside and sat down on a neatly made bed.

"So, um...these...friends of mine...what were they doing in my...room?" She asked gingerly stepping over the sleeping bags so she could cross over to him.

Natsume rolled to the other side of the bed, leaving a small space for her. "Lie here."

Normally she would have asked why and probably suspect him of plans to harass her, but the unexpected news of her having friends and being in the room that was supposedly hers distracted her and she did as she was told. He slung an arm over her shoulder, pulling her close. They sat in comfortable silence before the questions began to give her a headache and Mikan decided she needed some answers.

"What were they doing here?" She asked once more as Natsume bristled at the interrupted silence.

"Having a sleepover. They do that every week." He answered, feeling quite annoyed.

"Why?"

He snorted. "Cos they miss you. They feel like being in your room lessens the pain a bit." He paused and looked out the window. "Me and Imai too. We don't often join these parties, but when your room is free, we come in to sleep on your bed. No one else is allowed to sleep on it."

"Uh...together?"

He smacked her head lightly. "Of course not. We come in on different nights. Sometimes we fight about who gets to sleep in here."

Mikan snuggled closer to him, loving how warm he was. "Why do guys sleep here?"

Natsume shrugged and leaned down to press his lips to her cheek. "I don't know," he murmured against her skin. "I guess we just miss you."

"Why?"

He smirked a little. "You ask too many questions." His fingers curled around the back of her neck. "You're just...so important to everyone. Haven't you realized that?" And he pulled her in for a long, sweet kiss. He just couldn't get enough of her.

On the other hand, Mikan was a little confused as to why this stranger kept kissing her. It seemed wrong, but she just couldn't pull away. The feeling of being in his arms was so familiar and so right.

When he finally stopped kissing her and lay them down with his arms around her, she knew she had to ask.

"Why are you doing this? I don't know you but you keep kissing and hugging me and it just feels so right yet wrong." She turned around to face him, looking deep into his eyes. "What are we, Natsume? What were we?"

He did not say anything. He simply kissed her. Again and again with all his feelings. Saying with his hands what he could not say with words. And it was only after several caresses, kisses and hugs, did she realize.

She was in love with him.

...

Hours passed before Natsume remembered exactly what he had brought Mikan to her old room for. He shook her awake and glanced towards the clock. It was midnight exactly.

As she slipped back into consciousness, he whispered into her ear. "When you open your eyes, is what you see familiar?"

Mikan rubbed her eyes hard and grunted at his words, forcing her brain to focus. Her eyes stared at the ceiling, and flitted about the room, from the window, to her toes, to a desk and shelf pushed against the opposite wall.

"It kinda gives me a sense of deja vu."

Natsume pulled her out of the bed and dragged her over to the window.

"How about the window?"

"It's..." She stared at it long and hard. "The one from my dream."

Natsume climbed onto the window sill and sat there, looking for all the world as if he had just crawled in. Mikan gasped, he looked exactly like he did in the dream. She turned back, surveying the room. Yes, this was definitely the one she saw in the dream. She looked back just in time to see Natsume wrap his arms around her and drag them to the floor. He hugged her tight and stroked her back soothingly.

"Don't cry." He whispered. Suddenly, her vision blurred and her mouth moved before she even realized it. "It's impossible for me not to cry, because of you." She heard herself say. "I'm crying in your place."

Her vision cleared, leaving her more confused then ever. She had no idea why she said that. Her mouth had seemed to grow a mind of its own. Natsume pulled away and smiled at her. "Very good." He said, patting her head. He helped her to her feet and pulled her out of the room without another word.

They bumped into Koko on the way. "Hey, I was looking for you two. I've done all I could to keep the others from going in but they are getting annoyed and want their sleep."

Natsume tried to push past him. "It's free now. Go back to your party."

"Hold your horses." Koko smiled, pulling on Natsume's arm. He lowered his voice. "They're all wondering who Mikan is. None of them have guessed that she's a girl but their minds are like...nagging them."

"...Nagging?"

"Yeah. A nagging feeling that they know her. Or him. It's no good, Natsume. It'll only be a matter of time before they find out."

Natsume pursed his lips and nodded. "I'll get back to you. Just tell them she's a friend of Imai's who could help with her disappearance. Act like you don't know much."

"Roger." Koko grinned as he sped off in the opposite direction. Before he could turn the corner, however, he stopped and turned back, a silly look on his face.

"It was a good thing it was me who came to look for you guys!" He laughed. "Otherwise someone else might have caught The Natsume Hyuuga making out with a dude!"

He ran away before Natsume could kill him.

...

Natsume had deposited her back in her hospital room within a few minutes and left her there, but not before pecking her one last time on the cheek.

"I'm going to talk to Imai. If you need anything just press the big red button. Even an idiot like you will be able to see it." He had said, closing the door before she could hurl all sorts of insults at him.

The room was pitch black and she felt more than a little uncomfortable. She slipped under the white sheets and sighed, trying to gather her thoughts.

Only a few days had passed since she woke up and she had learned so many new things in that short time. But there was still so much more to discover, and the thought of it only made her sleepier.

It wasn't long before she drifted off to sleep, and it wasn't long before the nightmares began.

...

_She was in a lavishly decorated hall, and a huge christmas tree towered over her. She looked down and realized she was wearing a dress. She brought a hand to her face and realized she wore a mask. Strangely, no matter how much she tugged, she couldn't pull it off._

_Though she was scared, curiosity got the better of her and she wandered onto the dance floor. Couples danced in circles around her as if she were non-existent. She was about to move away when someone tapped her shoulder._

_She turned around and was pulled into someone's arms, and being led around the dance floor. The boy wore a mask too and he was smiling. A rabbit sat upon his shoulder. He spun her round and round, moving to the beat of the music._

_"Who are you?" She managed to ask as he twirled her around for the nth time. The boy pouted._

_"Aw...you forget me." He grinned some more and dipped her backwards. "Let me help you."_

_He proceeded to talk about events that somehow involved her. He just went on and on without stopping. He recalled funny, sad, happy things. None which she understood. He might as well have been speaking a different language. She looked at him helplessly and he laughed, before spinning her around and resuming his story._

_Several stories all piled on top of one another, and she just couldn't understand. Why was he talking about this? What was he talking about? Her head hurt and though she tried to block out his words, they kept coming back, her ears kept listening, her mind kept processing._

_But none of it made sense. Pictures flashed and her head spun. Spun with images and colors and voices and sounds. It made no sense._

_He let go of her hands and smiled one last time, before removing his mask. He had no face. The smile was gone. Only the blonde hair atop his head distinguished him from the other people. He replaced the mask and turned away, only for her to be swept away by another person._

_Strangely enough, it was a girl. She led her to a table where three others stood. Another two girls and a boy. They talked and talked as if they'd known each other for years, and like with the first boy, they were all recounting the past, talking of events she did not know. All four of them spoke at the same time, smiling eagerly and laughing._

_The four voices jumbled up in her head but she couldn't stop listening. Images of people, places things, popped up in her head, disappearing just as quickly as they had come. Her head hurt and her eyes stung, but if anything they just continued to talk louder._

_They told her names of people she did not know, things that happened that she did not understand, asked her things about herself that she did not know the answer to._

_It was all she could do not to cry out. At last, they stopped speaking and the music died away. They removed their masks and once again they had no faces. She was only able to tell them apart by their colorful hair, and the boy had glasses for some reason._

_"You forget us." They said all at once, and all of a sudden the room was to bright. So, so bright it hurt her eyes. She looked around and realized she was surrounded by all the party goers. And they were all reaching for their masks._

_"No!" She screamed. "Don't take them off!" She couldn't bear it. These faceless people. People she didn't know. It was too awful. _

_"No!" But they removed their masks anyway and there they stood, hundreds of them, faceless. _

_She desperately searched for a familiar face, anyone, anything. No, no, no. They all had no face._

_She did not know anyone._

_A boy stepped forward, his mask still on. He walked towards her slowly, as if he had all the time in the world. He stopped in front of her and removed his mask. Her breath stopped short._

_It was Natsume. He was looking at her sadly, however, and he moved away when she tried to touch him._

_"You forget me." He said, and she felt her pulse quicken. "No, I don't! I know you! You're-" She stopped. What was his name?_

_"You're." He said. It wasn't a question. A statement, rather. He smiled a bit but Mikan only saw it for a second. His face began to fade away, and she could only watch in horror as he too, suddenly had no face._

_He had no mouth, but she could hear his voice still. "What about you? Who are you?"_

_She stopped short, confused. "Who...am...I?"_

_"Yes. Why don't you take off your mask?"_

_"I can't."_

_"Oh? Are you sure?" He reached out a hand, and tugged on the edge of her mask. It came off and he let it drop to the ground. The boy sighed._

_"You have no face either. That proves it, I guess."_

_Mikan felt her blood run cold, head pound, heart ache. "Proves what?" She whispered. But somehow she knew the answer. _

_The boy cocked his head to the side. _

_Don't say it._

_He picked her mask up from the floor and stroked it._

_Please don't say it._

_"It proves that..."_

_No, don't._

_"Not only have you forgotten us..."_

_No..._

_"But you've also forgotten yourself."_

_And everything went black._

...

Now that dream really creeped me out. Faceless people do in general. If you don't understand the dream, do tell me, and I'll pm you or explain it in the next chapter.

~MySilentVoice


End file.
